A weekly thought for leaders with the courage to introspect.
**I love it.** I hope you enjoy it!**
Leadership is not a piece of cake. You know that. I know that.
As a leader, you are the hero in the beginning. The best office. The best salary. Status, car, privileges.
The hero has it.
Joost was such a hero. CEO. Smartly suited, perfectly styled, visionary.
We had lunch together. And when he looked over his plate, I saw it.
โI just recommended that we lay off three people from each department,โ he said.
Logical perhaps. But you could hear it in his voice: it did something to him.
โAs CEO, I'mโฆ lonely,โ he added softly.
He explained: โThere are four layers to this company. The executives, the management, the board โ and me.โ
He stood outside. Alone. In a line of his own.
I knew Joost as an excellent administrator. But I also saw: this was a leader who walks hundreds of meters ahead of his troops. The general with a straight back. Who makes choices that no one wants to stand for.
His predecessor?
Archibald.
You don't know him. That's a good thing.
Archibald was a caricature of leadership.
Half Ollie B. Bommel, half Wolf of Wall Street.
Archibald was distance. He wรกs positional distance.
He smoked cigars in his stately office, parked his Bentley in the best spot and ruled from his ivory tower.
His style may have worked for the company, but not for the people.
Whoever behaves like a dictator creates timid followers.
And Joost? He had unknowingly followed in his footsteps.
Same office. Same parking. Same secretary.
I told him this:
โYou are not Archibald. So don't act like it.โ
Leadership is not a role you inherit. It is a style you choose.
Want to reduce distance? Start by doing it yourself.
โ Organize a meeting with pizza and non-alcoholic beer.
โ Walk around the work floor.
โ Involve others in your issues.
โ Set up an internal think tank.
Because real leaders know: you don't have to do it alone.
A week later I received a text message from Joost.
A photo of empty pizza boxes and glasses.
Text included: โI'm certainly not Archibald.โ
He had understood.
Joost has since left the organization.
And he is doing great.
As it should be with leaders who choose their own path.
The space between the words is where insight arises.
Until next week when our thoughts touch again.
Hans Ruinemans,
The Boardroom Monk โฏ๏ธ